The National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Rauf Aregbesola, has reignited political debate with bold criticism of Nigeria’s ruling party. He accused the All Progressives Congress of being intolerant of opposition and using state power to crush dissent.
Speaking at the unveiling of the ADC Secretariat in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Saturday, Aregbesola claimed the APC’s leadership had failed Nigerians through greed and incompetence. He warned that the country was sliding into hunger, insecurity, and infrastructural decay under the party’s control.
“Under the current administration, hunger has taken over the land,” Aregbesola said. “Governance now means personal enrichment and political intimidation. Nigerians are suffering because leadership has collapsed under the APC.”
He further argued that a confident ruling party would welcome opposition, not persecute it. “If the APC trusts its popularity, it won’t keep hounding its critics,” he said.
Describing the ADC as a “party of conscience and service,” Aregbesola called it the only credible alternative ahead of the 2027 general elections. He insisted that Nigerians’ growing frustration would soon benefit the ADC. “The hatred for the APC is clear. The ADC will harvest that unpopularity,” he declared.
Former Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed also shared similar optimism. He said the new ADC Secretariat marked a turning point in Kwara’s political landscape. “This event begins a new chapter in our political journey,” Ahmed said. “The ADC reflects the true aspirations of Kwarans and offers a real alternative.”
In his remarks, ADC National Publicity Secretary and former Minister of Youth and Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, dismissed the Peoples Democratic Party as “a dead party awaiting its obituary.” He said the ADC had now become the only strong opposition capable of challenging the APC’s dominance.
“The question is no longer whether Kwarans want the APC; they don’t,” Abdullahi said. “What matters now is convincing them that the ADC can deliver what others have failed to provide.”
He also decried growing insecurity across rural communities, noting that farmers could no longer work safely. “Our people can’t farm without fear,” Abdullahi lamented. “Government must restore peace and protect citizens before the next planting season.”
Through their speeches, ADC leaders painted a vision of renewal and resistance. They also framed their movement as a moral response to a political system they believe has lost touch with ordinary Nigerians.
